Films vie for national awards

HCM CITY (VNS)— Film screenings will begin in HCM City this weekend to prepare for the annual Golden Kite Awards ceremony organised by the Viet Nam Cinematography Association.

Ten nominations for 2012 Golden Kite for best film of the year will be screened, including Dam Me (Passion), Lac Loi (Losing Way), Thien Menh Anh Hung (Blood Letter) and Bi Mat Tham Do (Scandal).

Produced by State-owned film studios, Dam Me and Lac Loi dwell on the topics of love, family and social problems.

Many fans expect Thien Menh Anh Hung and Bi Mat Tham Do, both directed by Vietnamese-American Victor Vu, to be among the winners when the awards are given away on March 9.

The US$1.5 million-film Thien Menh Anh Hung is funded by private company Phuong Nam Film and its partners, Saiga Films and Thanh Nien Media Corporation.

The film's visual and sound effects will make it a strong contender for top films of 2012, critics say.

Its director, Victor Vu, a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in the US, has worked hard to film Viet Nam's first swordfighter adventure scenes.

The film has been a hit with audiences.

Before being nominated for the best film category at Golden Kite, Thien Menh Anh Hung received the Jury Prize at the International Film Festival in Ha Noi last year.

Female director Pham Nhue Giang of Ha Noi is a nominee for best director for the social drama Lac Loi.

Giang won the Golden Lotus for Best Movie in 2002 from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for her production, Thung Lung Hoang Vang (Deserted Valley).

The 2012 Golden Kite has received 18 TV series, 24 short films, 13 cartoons, 37 documentaries, ten scientific films, and three cinematography research projects as submissions for awards in six categories.